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Program Information

PHD Program in Medical Sciences

 

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The Ph.D. Program in Medical Sciences equips each new generation of aspiring scientists with the skills to identify and solve important health problems. Under faculty guidance, our trainees will engage in rigorous and original scholarship supplemented by coursework tailored to individual needs.

Trainees can focus their scholarly efforts on many important biomedical problems, including infectious diseases, cancer, neuro-degenerative diseases and trauma, substance use and psychiatric disorders, and heart and lymphatic disease, to name a few. This original scholarship of our trainees is expected to be disseminated in rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific journals and impact the trainee’s scientific discipline.

Trainees are also expected to participate in national and international scientific conferences, build professional networks, and seek leadership roles within TAMU and professional scientific societies. An active and vibrant graduate student organization (GSO) engages in a program of professional development activities, research retreats, and symposia and also provides a robust mechanism for shared governance and a conduit for feedback to the graduate program and the faculty.

Academic Requirements

Successful completion of the Ph.D. degree requires 96 credit hours beyond a baccalaureate or 64 credit hours beyond a Master's or professional degree.
 
Eight graded credit hours are taken in the first semester of training. Subsequently, an additional 18 graded credit hours will be required for a total of 26 graded credit hours to graduate. This represents the minimal amount required for a Ph.D. MSCI graduate. 
 
For specifics, students are advised to consult the Graduate Student Handbook for their respective program year. 
 
Questions? Please contact us for more information. 
 
To Apply>>
RECOMMENDED CURRICULUM PLAN

The following is a recommended academic plan for completing the PHD in Medical Sciences degree. Students are advised to consult the Graduate Student Handbook for their respective program year. 


Year 1 – Fall Semester

  • Meet with the MSCI Graduate Program Advisory Committee during the first semester for guidance on research laboratory placement.
  • MSCI 601 Advanced Cell Biology (5 credits)
  • MPHY 624 Biostatistics (2 credits; or equivalent biostatistics course)
  • MSCI 609 Responsible Conduct of Research (1 credit)
  • MSCI 691 Research (1 credit for 3 lab rotations; Pass/Fail)
  • Complete 3 five-week lab rotations by the end of the semester. Lab rotation forms must be submitted before rotations are initiated.

Spring Semester

  • Choose Research Advisor – Submit a Laboratory Acceptance letter to the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS).
  • Consider submitting a Laboratory Compact with your Research Advisor
  • Elective coursework
  • MSCI 691 Research (if needed to reach the required 9 credits)
  • Start Research Project

Summer Semester

  • MSCI 685 Writing a Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Application (2 credits)
  • MSCI 681 Seminar (1 credit; attendance required)
  • MSCI 691 Research (if needed to reach the required 6 credits)
  • Form Dissertation Advisory Committee
  • Create an Individual Development Plan (IDP)

Year 2 – Fall Semester

  • Elective Coursework
  • MSCI 691 Research (if needed to reach the required 9 credits)
  • Finalize Dissertation Advisory Committee Members
  • Preliminary Meeting with Dissertation Advisory Committee
  • File Degree Plan

Spring Semester

  • Elective Coursework
  • MSCI 691 Research (if needed to reach the required 9 credits)
  • Meet with the Dissertation Advisory Committee
  • Plan, schedule, and complete the Preliminary Examination (hard deadline in Fall of Year 3)

Summer Semester

  • Elective Coursework
  • MSCI 691 Research (if needed to reach the required 6 credits)
  • MSCI 681 Seminar (1 credit; present works in progress)
  • Plan, schedule, and complete the Preliminary Examination (hard deadline in Fall of Year 3)
  • If eligible, submit a predoctoral fellowship proposal to the NIH, NSF, or similar entities, including private foundations (strongly encouraged).

Fall Semester

  • Elective Coursework (if not already completed)
  • MSCI 691 Research
  • Preliminary Examination
    • Preliminary Examinations are encouraged to be taken in the Spring or Summer of Year 2, but must be completed by the end of this semester.
  • File Research Proposal to the Graduate and Professional School by the end of the semester
  • Admission to Candidacy following successful passing of the Preliminary Examination

Year 3 – Spring Semester

  • Elective Coursework (if necessary)
  • MSCI 691 Research
  • Meet with the Dissertation Advisory Committee

Summer Semester

  • Elective Coursework (if necessary)
  • MSCI 691 Research
  • MSCI 681 Seminar (1 credit; attendance required)

Year 4/5 – Fall Semester

  • Elective Coursework (if necessary)
  • MSCI 691 Research

Spring Semester

  • Elective Coursework (if necessary)
  • MSCI 691 Research
  • Meet with the Dissertation Advisory Committee

Summer Semester

  • Elective Coursework (if necessary)
  • MSCI 691 Research

MSCI 681 Seminar (1 credit; present works in progress year 4 only, year 5 attendance required)

  • Final Defense and Final Examination:
Must submit a request to the Graduate and Professional School no less than ten days before the scheduled examination/defense date. The candidate is expected to have at least one first-author, peer-reviewed research paper published or accepted for publication before scheduling their defense.

To view more information, select a faculty area of research listed below.